First of all, thanks a million to Bob, Bill, John and Tim for their restaurant suggestions.
As we will start our Canada trip with a few days in Niagara-on-the-Lake, could you give me a few clues for wine estates that are open to visitors and worth a visit ? I have been to Inniskillin on a previous occasion (quite interesting), but what about the others ?
Kind regards from sunny Luxembourg
Yves
Yves, go to this site for some fairly thorough info on the Ontario wine industry, tourings, tastings, etc.
It has been a few years since we ventured east but we did stay overnite in NOTL in the midst of a couple of days of wine tastings. Hillebrand is a big, almost "industrial" outfit but their tasting room is nice. Try their Trius line of wines. Excellent restaurant on the grounds.
NOTL is a beautiful area especially as you drive along the river. Stop in at Reif. Fabulous icewine.
Pilliterri is close by. Nice merlo, cab franc. Their kerner icewine is good too.
Konzelman makes a number of "germanic" styled, sweetish wines.
My favourite vineyards in Ontario are a short drive back toward Hamilton/Toronto in the Beamsville Bench/Niagara Escarpment region. Henry of Pelham [fabulous bacco noir], Vineland Estates [terrific riesling and a great restaurant, Lakeview, Willow Heights, Thirty Bench, Malivoire [Mareschal Foch and chardonnay]Cave Springs [my favourite Cdn rieslings and Chardonnay Musque come from this vineyard and On The Twenty in Jordon has never disappointed...I still recollect a lunch where I had foie gras terrine topped with icewine gelatine that was "out of this world"] and Lakeview.
Hope you enjoy your viist.
Bob Macdonald Edmonton, AB
A quick look in google.ca shows
If you've got time and a have rented a car, you can take a tour yourselves. I usually stay away from the larger wineries (they're usually owned by multi-nationals...) and just wander around tasting and getting lost in the backwoods.
And to you, kind regards from sunny Niagara.
Doug MacQuillen in St Catharines
I had the opportunity to tour the region not too long ago. We were fortunate that we had a designated driver, so the rest of us could sample to our heart's content.
You'll forgive me if i'm a little fuzzy on some of the wineries we hit towards the latter part of the day, but here's a few we hit...
Marynissen Estates - Very small winery, and not an overwhelming selection. Still, their gewurztraminer was tasty enough that I bought a few bottles.
Chateau des Charmes - My companions weren't overly effusive about this place, but I really liked their late-harvest reisling and the Cab/Merlot blend.
Inniskillin - Sizable operation, but you've been there, as I recall. This is where I first sampled Ice wine, much to my regret. I have trouble with the amount of sugar in soda pop. Icewine is so sweet it's overwhelming. Fortunately they have a tasty cabernet franc to cut through the sugar-coated tongue.
Jackson-Triggs Winery - Tends more towards the corporate winery feel. Not overwhelmed by this one.
Pillitteri Estates Winery - Great sparkling wines.
One not on your path is Pelee Island Winery. Pelee Island is out on Lake Erie, but the winery is on the north shore, not too far from Windsor. They have a dry riesling that's world class. If you can't travel out there, please stop by an LCBO (Ontario liquor store) and see if you can't find a bottle or two to sample.
Have a great trip!
El Capitan
A don't miss winery near NOTL and on the Parkway towards Inniskillin and Reif is Lailey Vineyards and Winery. It is right across the parkway from the historical McFarland House. Their unfiltered reds (CF, M, CS) are not to be missed. The best local reds I have yet tasted in Niagara and area. If you get over near Beamsville on the week-end, be sure and visit Daniel Lenko Estates Winery which is located just on the western edge of the town across from the tire garage on Reg. Rd. 81 (old Hwy. 8). Just about anything there is very good with their Rose being my favourite al fresco tippler. Their G wine is also usually superior as is their Chardonnay (French Oak). If you're lucky, Helen (Danny's mother) will be baking and you'll get fresh cookies and/or apple pie also!!!
Enjoy!
If you're into chardonnay, stop off at Strewn in NOTL, they also have a cooking school on premisis. The winemaker gave us a comparison of chardonnay aged in french and american oak, and from two different vintages. Best one of the day, imho.
Their Cabernets and Cab/Merlot blends are superb too, and without the astronomical prices of some of the other "craft" wineries in Niagara. They claim that John Marynissen was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in Ontario back in the 1950s.
I also think their Chardonnays are great value, as are their icewines. I would not consider making a trip to that area and without stopping in there.
They are located one road back from the river, just behind Inniskillen.
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